Barn for curing tobacco.



No. 807,763 PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905.

' D. W. MISHLER.

BARN FOR CURING TOBACCO.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.11.1905.

UNITED sTA'rns PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed September 11, 1905. Serial No. 278,020.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, DAVID W. MIsHLnR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brookville, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barns for Curing Tobacco; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tobacco-curing sheds or barns in which the green tobacco-leaves are placed for curing.

The object of the invention is to provide a barn of the above type with means for obtaining a thorough circulation of cold air on the interior of the barn, which drives out the hotter air, which is detrimental to the tobacco, said means being adapted to permit of a full and free circulation of air from the exterior of the barn and from the direction of the wind. In other words, if the wind is blowing from the north the air is permitted to enter from that direction and the air doors or shutters are closed elsewhere.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction which admits of the air entering in large volumes from the ground or lower portion of the barn and discharging at the top of the barn through a ventilatingopening approximately the length of the barn. The ventilating-opening referred to is so arranged that the side opposite to the opening below may be open and the other side of said ventilating-opening closed in order that no counteracting currents of air are permitted.

Preceding a more detailed description of the invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a barn for curing tobacco constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view with one end removed.

In a detailed description similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

The barn may of course be constructed of any desirable shape and dimensions. Therefore my improvements may be applied to barns already in existence, or they may be applied to newly-constructed barns. Heretofore much loss has been experienced by tobacco growers in curing tobacco, owing to the inefiicient and improper means for thoroughly 'drying out the tobacco with fresh cool air. The rays of the sun falling upon the roof of a barn have the efiect of heating the air within the barn to a considerable degree, which is very injurious to the tobacco. Especially if the air is damp the tobacco is caused to rot and burn the leaves. This loss is attributable to a lack of proper circulation of fresh and cool air throughout the interior of the barn. In order to obtain this desirable circulation of air, I construct the barn 1 with four ventilating-doors 2, which are hinged at the bottom of the four sides of the barn to open outwardly. These doors are placed as close to the ground as possible and are adapted to be opened from either side, according to the direction of the wind. The driveway to the barn is not interfered with, but may be also from any side of the barn. In the drawings the driveway is shown from one end of the barn and is closed by a door 3, said door and end of the barn being provided in alike manner with the ventilating-openings at the bottom, which are closed by doors hung upon hinges similar to the other doors. It will be observed that these doors lie at the bottom of the four sides of the barn. Therefore when either one of said doors is opened the volume of air enters near the floor of the barn and circulates in maximum quantities throughout the interior of the barn, coming in contact with suspended tobacco-leaves 4. The barn is usually filled with tobacco-leaves, which are suspended from a series of racks consisting of rails 5, which are suitably mounted on each side and above the driveway. The top or roof of the barn is provided with a ventilator 6, extending the length of the barn. This portion of the barn is located at the extreme top of the roof and is provided with a ventilatingdoor 7 on each side, which doors are hung or hinged from above, so as to open upwardly and outwardly. Through either of these upper ventilators the air passes outwardly from the barn after circulating throughout the interior of the barn, and owing to the uniform dimensions of both the lower and upper ventilators a maximum volume of air is thus entering and leaving the barn continually, and the result is that the tobacco is thoroughly cured within a comparatively short space of time.

Aside from the advantages attending the saving of tobacco the tobacco-barn constructed in accordance with the above is not materially increased in expense over and above ITO the common form of barn. The work of drying the tobacco is not increased, and each leaf of tobacco is subjected to a uniform drying process which renders the tobacco of higher grade, and therefore more merchantable.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. In a tobacco-curing barn, a barn having a ventilator on each side at the bottom, said ventilators being approximately the length of the barn and adapted to be opened upwardly from the ground, a ventilator at the top of said barn extending approximately the length thereof, said ventilator having doors on opposite sides the entire length thereof, as herein shown and described.

2. A tobacco-curing barn provided with a longitudinal driveway, and having arranged on each side thereof a ventilating-door through which air is admitted throughout the length of the barn, the end of said barn through whichentrance to the driveway is had, being provided with ventilating-doors on either side of the driveway-door, said driveway-door having its lower portion provided with a ventilating-door, the top of the barn having a ventilator'extending throughout the length thereof and provided with a door on each side, substantially' as shown and described.

In testimony whereofI aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID W. MISHLER. Witnesses:

R. J. MOCARTY, (J. M. THEOBALD. 

